THE people of Colehill and Wimborne can rest easy their communities will retain their individuality after a compromise was struck in the electoral boundary changes.

Wimborne had been accused by one councillor of a takeover bid of Colehill under the proposals for the changes to the ward boundaries put forward by the Local Government Commission.

The commission is currently carrying out the first review of electoral wards since 1980. In the last 20 years new housing has led to uneven ward sizes developing, prompting the review.

At present, the boundary separates Colehill and Wimborne into two wards, each with three councillors. The commission has proposed putting half of Colehill in with Wimborne ward and leaving the rest as Colehill East with two councillors. Wimborne ward, with three councillors, was to be extended to include Dogdean. However Wimborne would lose Leigh Park and Parmiter areas to a new Leigh ward with one councillor.

But the proposals angered the six councillors of Wimborne and Colehill who feared their individual community identities would be lost through the changes.

Now new proposals have been put forward by a working party at East Dorset council which has led to a compromise. The proposals will be discussed at a special meeting of the district council's Finance and Resources Committee today.

Colehill councillor Don Wallace said: "The new proposals are much improved. It keeps Colehill and Wimborne separate with the exception of four alterations.

"The bottom of Giddylake and Lacy Drive is now Colehill but they will be Wimborne, but the extension of Wesley Road and the top of Rowlands Hill will go to Colehill.

"We have lost the Parmiter area but Colehill gets back Park Homer."

He added: "I don't think people have been really aware of these proposals but if they knew it could lead to changes in their rates, I imagine some wouldn't like it."